Posted Breed: Terrier / Mixed (medium coat). Please contact Dusti (poochheavenvolunteer@gmail.com) for more information about this pet.
Meet Rolo, he is one of our most special friends!!! We rescued him from East Valley Animal Shelter; they had picked him up as a stray. Rolo is a 5 year old, 24 pound- Terrier Mix. He was not available for adoption at the pound to the public; they would only adopt him to a rescue because of his behavioral issues. Since, being in our care we are working with him daily and he has made great progress but has away to go. Rolo can not be adopted into a home with any small children due to him being so scared, timid and nippy. Most likely Rolo had a horrible beginning in life and has lost his trust in people (if he ever had it), it seems he was either left in a backyard or confined to a small space with no interaction. He had never been hugged, given any affection or praise and he had never been on a leash. Since, being with us he has shown he is actually extremely lovable and capable of being handled and touched, once he gets to know you and trust that you will not hurt him. We have also got him to walk on a leash, 30-40 feet but it has taken time. Rolo needs a quiet, patient and calm home. He also listens very well and will make a great companion for the right person. If you are interested in meeting this special guy, please call us at 866-PAL-4-LIFE.

A mongrel, mutt, or mixed-breed dog, is a dog that is not the result of breeding within an existing breed or to modify or create a breed and belongs to no breed.
In the United States, the term "mixed-breed" is a favored synonym over "mongrel" among many who wish to avoid negative connotations associated with the latter term. The implication that such dogs must be a mix of defined breeds may stem from an inverted understanding of the origins of dog breeds. Pure breeds have been, for the most part, artificially created from random-bred populations by human selective breeding with the purpose of enhancing desired physical, behavioral, or temperamental characteristics. Dogs that are not purebred are not necessarily a mix of such defined breeds. Therefore, among experts and fans of such dogs, "Mongrel" is still the preferred term.

If you’re looking to adopt a dog and don’t know where to start, puppyfinder.com is an excellent source for information about adopting a dog and will connect you with hundreds of shelters across the US that have adoptable puppies and older dogs waiting for forever homes.

Do your research – find out what types of dogs would be a good fit for your lifestyle and the activity level of your family. Also keep in mind the grooming needs of certain breeds that might require frequent maintenance.

Decide what you can handle – before you get sucked in by all the adorable puppy eyes you’re about to see, think long and hard about the appropriate age dog for your family or if you are capable of caring for a special needs dog. Puppies are a lot of work, if you don’t have time for potty training and obedience classes you’ll want to consider an older dog. There are plenty of middle aged, vibrant dogs up for adoption as well as many senior dogs that would be a great fit for a family looking for a more subdued dog with lots of love to give.

Learn about the shelters and their adoption policies – It might be easier to start looking at shelters within a certain radius of home but don’t be afraid to venture out to other states as well. Many states have larger populations of adoptable dogs and their shelters are willing to transport pets to suitable adopting families. Some shelters might have requirements for a home visit, a fenced yard or require you to visit the pet multiple times before you commit to adopting. Understand that the shelters are doing their best to place the pets in suitable homes and these requirements are in the best interest of both you and the pet.

Start looking… Once you know what you’re looking for and what to expect you can start your search through thousands of adoptable dogs. PuppyFinder allows you to search by age, breed, location and gender.

Meet in person. Whenever possible it is best to meet the animal in person before agreeing to bring them into your life. Even though photos and descriptions can tell you a bit about a dog, you can’t get a true feeling for the animal until you are able to interact with them and make sure they are a good fit for your entire family, including other pets.

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Posted Breed: American Staffordshire Terrier / Mixed (short coat). Please contact Dusti (poochheavenvolunteer@gmail.com) for more information about this pet.
This handsome boy is Shorty. He was brought to us as a stray and is very new to our rescue. We are learning more about Shorty every day. Please call 866-725-4543 for updated information.

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Posted Breed: Pit Bull Terrier / Mixed (short coat). Please contact Dusti (poochheavenvolunteer@gmail.com) for more information about this pet.
Cali is a 5 year old, blue and white kissbull, who weighs forty eight pounds. She along with her seven puppies were rescued from North Central on 12/6/2011, as their owner surrendered. Although she has not been at Pooch Heaven long, she has shown nothing but love and a desire to interact with everyone. Cali does not mind new people or children coming in to visit with her or her seven four week old puppies. She is a big sweet heart. If you would like to meet Cali or learn more about her and her puppies, please contact us at poochheaven.com.

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Posted Breed: Dachshund / Mixed (short coat). Please contact Dusti (poochheavenvolunteer@gmail.com) for more information about this pet.
Hillary is a six year old Dachshund mix. She is current on all vaccines and microchipped.

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Posted Breed: American Staffordshire Terrier / Mixed (short coat). Please contact Dusti (poochheavenvolunteer@gmail.com) for more information about this pet.
This sweet girl is Sadie, she loves everyone and is good with kids and other dogs. She is in need of a forever home due to the fact her current owner cannot keep her because the landlord said they couldn't have her. Sadie is up to date on all routine vaccinations and spayed. Sadie is about 8 years old, and very house friendly. She is a very well behaved dog that needs to find a loving home. She has alot of love to give! This is a courtesy posting, you can call her current owners for details at 661-724-0307 or email dorothi57@sbcglobal.net

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Posted Breed: Saint Bernard / Mastiff / Mixed (short coat). Please contact Dusti (poochheavenvolunteer@gmail.com) for more information about this pet.Meet Bernie! He is a six year old Saint Bernard/Mastiff mix and weighs 84lbs. Bernie was found as a stray and brought to us by another rescue group, whom loves Bernie very much. Bernie has successfully had his surgeries (entropion surgery to correct his eyelids and he has also been neutered). His fur is growing back steadily from a severe case of demodex (mange). It€™s clear that someone ruff housed with Bernie a lot when he was younger. Which some people see him as being aggressive, but I think that, that€™s just how he plays. Since, working with him more he has became a lot more trusting and loving and not so combative. I think with some more work we can break that, but you have to make sure you don€™t ruff house with him. He€™s great on a leash and loves car rides. He likes dogs, and loves to run and chase, but if you don€™t have a dog that has an upper hand; he tends to take advantage, or pick on them. He has separation anxiety. Basically, Bernie is a large baby that wasn€™t taught to play well with others. Poor guy has been through a lot but everyone is rallying around him and I know the end result will be worth it

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Posted Breed: Pit Bull Terrier / Mixed (short coat). Please contact Dusti (poochheavenvolunteer@gmail.com) for more information about this pet.This handsome fellow is BUGSY and he is a 100% goof-ball. All he wants to do is play, play, and play. Oh, and by the way he is really strong and did we tell you he loves to play!!!! Bugsy was found at our facility, most likely dropped off by someone. He has been great with everyone and we have only introduced him to dogs his size and he has been great. Bugsy has a great temperament and would thrive with an athletic family. Bugsy is a Kiss-bull mix, weighs 53 pounds and is around 4 years old. He is current on all vaccines, neutered and microchipped.

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Posted Breed: American Staffordshire Terrier (short coat). Please contact Dusti (poochheavenvolunteer@gmail.com) for more information about this pet.This is Laima, she is American Staffordshire about 1.5 years old. She is sweet to all people and eager to please, just a love bug, but might not get along with other dogs. She is UTD on all Vaccines.The current owners got her from some people that they think abused her. Their other doggie will not accept Laima into the family, so they are having to keep them separated. Laima is available through a private party. Please contact Alina if interested at tel:424-288-0329 or at alingrinberg@yahoo.com

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Posted Breed: Boxer / Mixed (short coat). Please contact Dusti (poochheavenvolunteer@gmail.com) for more information about this pet.Dolly was rescued from the streets of Los Angeles right after Christmas 2014. She is very new to our rescue and we are learning more about her daily. For updated information please call 866-725-4543.

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Posted Breed: Canaan Dog / Mixed (short coat). Please contact Dusti (poochheavenvolunteer@gmail.com) for more information about this pet.This handsome guy is Jay. He was rescued from the Lancaster shelter on his last day. He is super lovable and very sweet once he gets to know you. He loves attention, is playful, and good on a leash. Jay should however be placed in a home with no dogs or children. Jay is up to date on all routine vaccinations, micro chipped, and neutered. If you are interested in Jay please call 866-725-4543.